This document belongs to the National Workforce Capacity for Essential Public Health Functions Collection, which includes an operational handbook and guidance on functions, competency-based education and workforce enumeration.

This document is the first in a series of four technical tools in three interconnected action areas, which aim to guide the implementation in countries for strengthening the national public health workforce to deliver essential public health functions. This handbook provides an overview; the other tools in the series focus on: defining the essential public health functions and services (action area 1); competency-based education (action area 2); and mapping and measurement of occupations (action area 3).

The Action Plan is the sub-product of the WHO guidance, National workforce capacity to implement the essential public health functions including a focus on emergency preparedness and response: roadmap for aligning WHO and partner contributions, The action plan will serve as a workplan for WHO and partners. This publication outlines the activities and deliverables in the first two years of the Roadmap. The Action Plan provides additional information to inform the collaboration and alignment of WHO and partners’ activities.

The purpose of this document is to support countries in contextualizing and implementing action area 1 of the roadmap and action plan to strengthen the public health workforce, which includes the emergency workforce. Action area 1 focuses on operationalizing the essential public health functions (EPHFs). Countries can use this document to identify their priorities relating to the EPHFs, subfunctions and public health services in the post-COVID-19 era and to understand and strengthen public health capacities and stewardship. A strategic review of the EPHFs can inform broader public health strengthening or reform. This document also includes an annex summarizing the findings of a survey on mapping EPHF-related health workforce strengthening activities within WHO and by key partners, which informed the work. This document summarizes the technical details and approaches presented in the publication Application of the essential public health functions: an integrated and comprehensive approach to public health, which was co-developed by WHO’s Health System Resilience and Essential Public Health Functions Team, Special Programme on Primary Health Care, and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes.

New edition coming in February 2020. As one of the foundational texts in the Essential Public Health series, Essentials of Public Health is an excellent introduction to the field of public health. Written for senior-level undergraduates or graduate students in public health, health science, nursing, and other health professions, Essentials of Public Health gives special focus to public health careers and the workings of public health agencies. Combining the best elements of Dr. Turnock's other books: Public Health: What It Is and How It Works and Public Health: Career Choices That Make a Difference, Essentials of Public Health, Third Edition, uses clear, reader-friendly language and helpful learning tools such as chapter exercises and discussion questions, making it an ideal text to prepare your students for the profession of public health. New to the Third Edition: Comprehensive new coverage of topics such as: the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, strategic planning, accreditation of public health organizations and credentialing of public health workers Extensive information on state and local public health practice derived from national surveys conducted since 2012 Two separate chapters on Community Public Health Practice and Emergency Preparedness (formerly covered in one single chapter) New conceptual frameworks for the public health system, overall health system, and public health workforce An examination of an additional 16 different public health occupations—a total of 39 covered in all More than 60 new or revised charts and tables and a series of “outside-the-book thinking” exercises appears in each chapter. This book: Defines and describes the public health system Provides concepts and tools for measuring health in populations Characterizes the relationship of the public health system with medical care and other elements of the overall health system Identifies government’s unique contributions through federal, state, and local public health agencies Offers basic information on the size and composition of the public health workforce Addresses careers and jobs in public health administration, epidemiology, public health nursing, health education, and more.

Health system resilience is not an inevitable byproduct of any investment in health but must be intentionally programmed and developed with necessary input, investment and contextualization. This technical product aims to guide national, subnational and global health actors to operationalize the concept of health system resilience for advancement of universal health coverage, health security and ultimately better health for all. It supports the translation of relevant conceptual guidance and high-level recommendations into practical actions. The specific objectives are to: present a concise overview of the concept of health system resilience; provide a roadmap outlining practical and foundational steps for building health system resilience to be adapted to different contexts; share examples of actions and tools, including stakeholder roles, to support country application of the roadmap. The target audience for this work is the various stakeholders involved in strengthening health systems and public health including management of emergencies (from prevention and preparedness to response and recovery) and other public health challenges in countries. This ranges from the donors, policymakers and decision-makers at global, national and subnational levels to the implementing institutions and line managers of health system functions and services across the health system building blocks.